Definition

Before we move further, I feel that we should properly define what Chibayanese is and who constitutes the Chibayan culture.

Etymology

If you haven’t guessed it, Chibayanese is short of Surabayan-Chinese, a subculture of Chinese people who dwell in East Java, mostly in Surabaya. We are best characterized by our casual use of the “Chinese” language, or so we thought. Other characterizations may apply such as

• Narrow-mindedness and judgmental attitude
• Inability to hide one’s Schadenfreude
• Disproportionate amount of fascism and self-worship as a group
• Unhealthy desire to please everyone and their mothers (literally… since other people’s mothers are usually the source of judgments for failing to do so)
• Preference to everything Asian and nothing Western (seriously, what’s with the tight-shirt craze?)

Q: I am Chinese but I don’t live in Surabaya. However, I still relate to all characteristics above. Am I a Chibayanese?
A: You don’t have to live in Surabaya to be a Chibayanese, just as you don’t have to live in China to be a Chinese. If any one of your ancestors lived in Surabaya, most likely you would have been raised as a Chibayanese. Our culture does tend to be stronger than the rest of the nation and thus always win in a cross-cultural marriage.

Q: Those descriptions do define my family well, but I don’t think I’m a Chibayanese.
A: First of all, that’s not a question. Secondly, these characteristics apply to most Chinese Indonesians in general, but displayed in greater proportions among Chibayanese. So while it might be true that you’re not a Chibayanese simply because these apply to you, you would still benefit from reading this blog further.

Q: I’m a Chibayanese, but my family and my jingjik are all open-minded and understanding, even when some of my life choices are controversial. How come?
A: Lucky you…. Can we switch lives?

Q: What kind of “Chinese” are they really using?
A: Ah, that brings us to the next section

Language

While a majority of us think that we speak Chinese and we use it extensively to distinguish ourselves from the rest of Surabayans, we actually don’t. If you’re wondering what kind of Chinese we speak, use the following formula to translate any Indonesian sentence into Chibayan.

1. Think of the sentence in Indonesian. Actually, Javanese works better.
2. Translate the sentence word-by-word (yes, word-by-word) into Chinese, but only for the ones you know. It’s perfectly acceptable and even encouraged to translate only half of the sentence. Translating an entire phrase, or even an entire sentence, correctly not only will result in you being perceived as showing off, but may actually the listener to not understand you. Word-by-word, that’s the golden rule.
3. Write those translations in Wade-Giles pinyin. Hanyu pinyin does not work so well.
4. Strip off all the tones.
5. Read it with full Javanese rigor (or some Jakartans might say “medok”). The more glottal attacks and endings you use, the better. Your chest should vibrate vigorously during this process, otherwise you’re not doing it right.

Examples

This is how Chibayan language counts one to ten:
Ik (with glottal ending), Ol (with glottal attack), San, Si, U, Liok, Jik, Pak, Cyu, Sek.

Actual sentence overheard in a souvenir shop in Bali:
Bali ren iki lek ngomong kok ndak koyok women women gini ya.
（Bali 人 iki lek ngomong kok ndak koyok 我们我们 gini ya）

Other examples:

• A: Lho bengyu ne iku semok ren? （Lho 朋友 ne iku 什么人?）
  B: Oh korea ren. （Oh korea 人）
  
• Mosok omahe kate ditinggal gitu tok. Lek yu semok semok cemokyang?
  （Lek 有什么什么怎么样?）
  
• Yo areke pancene seneng sing nak yang nak yang nako….
  （Yo areke pancene seneng sing 那样那样那个….）
  
• Papamu co apa nyo?
  （爸爸mu 做 apa nyo?）